Ancient painting discovered in Nam Phong National Park

Rangers in Nam Phong National Park, Nong Ruea district, Khon Kaen stumbled upon an ancient painting whilst combating local forest fires. The discovery was made within the grounds of the Hin Chang Si Protection Unit, roughly 4 kilometres from its headquarters, according to a Facebook post by the rangers yesterday.

The team, having extinguished the forest fire, took a moment to rest under a sandstone shelter where they noticed the historical piece of art. This discovery was situated approximately 700 metres from Ang Chad Rock, a site recently under the scrutiny of a survey, reported Bangkok Post.

Upon the discovery, the rangers promptly took photographs of the ancient painting and reported their find to officials from the Fine Arts Department.

In related news, during a collaborative salvage operation between the Royal Thai Navy and the United States Navy, a significant discovery emerged from the sunken HTMS Sukhothai. On the operation’s third day, a Buddha sculpture along with several documents was unearthed near the primary engine’s hatch by a combined diving team. R Adm Veerudom Muangjin, the spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, disclosed plans for further investigation into these items, particularly focusing on the well-preserved Buddha statue.

The salvage effort, initiated on February 22 as part of the US Navy’s Cobra Gold joint military exercise, enlisted the participation of 49 divers from both Thailand and the United States. The retrieval of the Buddha sculpture followed the recovery of the sunken ship’s nameplate on the previous day, adding significance to the mission.

Reflecting on the day’s undertakings, navy officials concentrated on surveying and photographing evidence around the ship, organising the operation into six dives. In an unexpected turn, Navy Chief Admiral Adoong Pan-iam directed the return of a 90 million-baht budget for the operation to the government, reallocating the funds for public financial assistance purposes.